


Snippet 5

by j_gabrielle



Series: perhaps, this [9]
Category: Black Panther (2018)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Arranged Marriage, Drabble, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-01
Updated: 2018-03-01
Packaged: 2019-03-25 09:57:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 839
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13831758
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/j_gabrielle/pseuds/j_gabrielle
Summary: The first time Erik acts in defence of T’Challa is stepping between him and a gun two weeks into their courtship.





	Snippet 5

**Author's Note:**

> A short interlude.

The first time Erik acts in defence of T’Challa is stepping between him and a gun two weeks into their courtship. Deftly, he kicks it out of the goon’s hand, knocking the man out with a well aimed right hook.

Another comes at him, which Erik dispatches with a knee to the stomach and quick sure jabs. A gun is lifted and pointed at him, but Okoye's spear sees to that before it has a chance to fire.

“Erik!"

“I’m fine, T’Challa, I’m fine!” He says, bats at T’Challa's worried hands patting him down. Looking over, Erik pushes at his shoulder, “He’s getting away! Go after him!”

And true enough, Klaue is laughing like a maniac as his getaway car screeches away. T’Challa activates the Panther suit, giving chase, but Klaue loses him in the tunnels like the slippery eel he is. Cursing in the middle of traffic, he runs back to Okoye and Erik.

Okoye curses when he tells her, stalking away to see to the damage their fight had wrought on the buildings. In the distance, he can hear the sounds of sirens. T’Challa watches the dark curl of smoke come out of the blistered walls. “Okoye, we have to go.” 

The general frowns, but nods, taking up point as they huddle into their coats.

“Why did you do that?” T’Challa asks when they climb onboard the Talon. “Why did you put yourself at risk like that?”

Erik looks up at him, confused for a moment before ducking his head. “You’re too important to die.”

“That’s not it. Tell me why?” T’Challa insists.

“You have people willing to die for you on a daily basis.” Erik jerks his head at Okoye who is doing a commendable job of not listening in. “Why am I so different?"

“They know me. You don’t.” T’Challa counters, noting the wince on Erik’s face and feeling a twinge of guilt at putting it there. "I am barely more than a stranger to you, so why would you risk your life for mine?”

Erik leans back in his seat as the Talon takes off. “Because it would be worth it. Because that’s all I’ve ever known I was supposed to do.”

“You keep saying that like it should mean something to me.” 

“I wouldn’t blame you if it doesn’t.” Erik shrugs, "We've just met and you don’t know me, but trust me when I say that I do care what happens. Even if you run around wearing a bulletproof catsuit.”

“You heard Agent Ross call me that?” Erik merely grins in reply. There’s many empty seating on the Talon, but T’Challa is pressed close against the man. The one he was to marry as per the stipulations of his father’s contract. 

In the past two weeks he had been a guest at the palace, Erik has not revealed much about himself, only that he was raised with the knowledge of the contract and that he was told that he was to marry T’Challa when the time came. He’d shown up at the border after the coronation, showing W’Kabi his lip tattoo and the King’s ring. Saying nothing until he had an audience with the council, the King and the Queen Mother.

“Tell me something.” T’Challa says. He turns his body and his knee knocks against Erik’s. “Don’t you have someone you’d rather marry?”

Erik tilts his head, tongue darting out to lick the seam of his lips. T’Challa follows that pink flesh with his eyes. “Like I said before. There was only ever you.”

T’Challa falls silent, holding out a hand. Erik’s eyes it curiously for moment before settling his palm into T’Challa’s. “I won’t tell you that I love you, because I don’t. But I do care. Even if I’m not entirely sure why.” Erik’s lips twitch in a valiant attempt to not smile.

“Thank you, for saving me.” He says after a beat. “Even if you didn’t have to.”

“Because of the catsuit?”

“Because of the catsuit.” T’Challa replies with a laugh. “Where did you learn to fight like that?”

Erik tenses, minutely. And if T’Challa had not spent the last two weeks looking for a lie and a tell, he would not have seen it. “Here and there. When you grow up like I did, you learn to pick up on things.” A truth, then.

“And what sort of things are those?” T’Challa asks, watching him.

Erik looks over at him with a teasing smile. “Take me out to dinner and I might just tell you.” T’Challa is about to tell him that he might just do that, when Okoye announces their approach into Wakanda. 

“Come and see this.” T’Challa stands, pulling the other man along. “You came by ground the last time. Now, see how it looks like by air.”

The morning sunlight glinting on the buildings, catching on the river and mist burns bright like molten gold. “It’s beautiful.” Erik says in a reverent rush.

T’Challa looks over to him as they make their descent. “Yes, it is."

**Author's Note:**

> You can leave me some moodboard requests [Here](http://hardheartshere.tumblr.com/ask) or you can leave me some fic requests [Here](http://randomingoftherandomness.tumblr.com/ask)


End file.
